Dolmades: Stuffed Grape Leaves

Dolmades are grape leaves wrapped around a filling of rice, onion, fresh herbs, pine nuts and lemon, then gently simmered in olive oil and lemon juice until tender. This vegetarian version, popular in Greece and Turkey, is usually served cold or at room temperature as part of a meze. The recipe makes about 30 dolmades, enough for 6 people, and takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, most of it hands-off simmering. Rolling them is easier than it looks, and they freeze well if you make a big batch.

• Makes: about 30 dolmades
• Serves: 6 (about 5 each) as a starter or meze
• Prep time: 40 minutes
• Cook time: about 50 minutes, plus cooling
• Total time: about 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• About 35 brined grape (vine) leaves from a jar, about 120 g drained, plus extra to line the pan
• 150 g (¾ cup) short-grain rice, such as arborio or pudding rice
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion (about 150 g), finely chopped
• 20 g (2 tablespoons) pine nuts
• A small bunch each of dill, mint and parsley (about 35 g in total), finely chopped
• Juice of 1½ lemons (about 45 ml), plus wedges to serve
• ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper
• About 400 ml (1⅔ cups) hot water

Method

1. Prepare the leaves. Unroll the grape leaves and put them in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water, leave for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Repeat once if they’re very salty. Pat dry and snip off any tough stems.
2. Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clearer. Drain well.
3. Make the filling. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the pine nuts for the last 2 minutes.
4. Tip the onion into a bowl and stir in the rice, herbs, a third of the lemon juice, the salt and pepper. The rice stays uncooked; it cooks inside the leaves.
5. Roll the dolmades. Lay a leaf shiny side down, with the stem end toward you. Put a heaped teaspoon of filling near the stem end. Fold the bottom over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll up firmly but not too tightly, as the rice swells.
6. Line the pan. Cover the base of a wide, heavy saucepan with torn or spare leaves, which stops the dolmades sticking and burning.
7. Pack the dolmades seam side down in the pan, snugly in one or two layers.
8. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice and pour in enough hot water to just cover them.
9. Weigh them down with a small heatproof plate on top, so they don’t unroll.
10. Cover, bring to a gentle simmer and cook on low heat for 45 to 50 minutes, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add a little more hot water if the pan dries out.
11. Leave to cool in the pan, then serve at room temperature or chilled, with lemon wedges and plain yogurt.

Tips

• Don’t overfill. About a heaped teaspoon per leaf is enough, as the rice expands.
• Roll firmly. Loose dolmades fall apart as they cook.
• Use the weight. A plate on top keeps the dolmades in place.
• Use torn leaves to line the pan or to patch holes.
• Taste a test one after 45 minutes. If the rice is still firm, cook a little longer with more water.

Swaps and variations

• Meat dolmades: add 250 g of lean ground lamb or beef to the raw filling. Serve these warm, with an egg and lemon (avgolemono) sauce or yogurt, and make sure the filling is cooked through.
• Currants: add 2 tablespoons of currants for a Turkish-style sweet and savory filling.
• Brown rice or bulgur: adds fiber; brown rice needs a longer cooking time.
• Fresh leaves: if you grow grapes, use young, tender leaves, blanched in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Lower salt: soak the leaves twice and skip the added salt.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is about 5 dolmades, a sixth of the recipe. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for canned grape leaves, raw short-grain white rice, onion, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, mint, parsley, pine nuts and salt. Soaking and rinsing the leaves removes some of their salt, so the real sodium content is likely to be lower.

Dolmades are a good example of the Mediterranean way of eating: plant foods, herbs and olive oil, which provides most of the fat. Our guide to the Mediterranean diet for beginners explains the pattern. The main thing to watch is salt, because grape leaves are preserved in brine. Adults are advised to have no more than 6 g of salt a day, about 2.4 g of sodium, according to the NHS, so soak the leaves well, and enjoy dolmades as part of a meze with vegetables and salads. Grape leaves also provide vitamin K and fiber.

Contains: tree nuts (pine nuts). Dolmades are vegan and, as written, gluten-free.

Storage

Cooked rice needs care. Cool the dolmades within 1 hour of cooking and refrigerate them in a covered container, drizzled with a little olive oil to stop them drying out. Food Standards Scotland advises eating cooked rice within 24 hours, so dolmades are safest eaten within a day. If you want to keep them longer, freeze them on the day you make them, for up to 2 months, and thaw them in the fridge.

How to serve them

• As part of a meze with hummus, olives, tzatziki and warm pita. Our article on whether hummus is healthy covers another meze favorite.
• With a Greek salad or our Greek dakos.
• With grilled fish or chicken for a light main.
• Our list of healthy party food ideas includes other bites that travel well.

Common questions

Are dolmades healthy?

Yes, in moderation. They’re made from plant foods and olive oil, but they can be salty, especially shop-bought versions, so check the label.

Are grape leaves edible?

Yes. Young grape leaves are eaten in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Jarred leaves are preserved in brine and need rinsing before use.

What’s the difference between dolmades and dolma?

Dolma is the broader name, from Turkish, for stuffed vegetables, including peppers, zucchini and cabbage leaves. Dolmades is the Greek name for stuffed grape leaves.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.